1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the coordination of multiple devices based on user configurations for conference rooms.
2. Description of the Related Art
Technology-rich environments such as conference rooms are often difficult to use because the various components in them do not interoperate cleanly, are often unaware of each other, and require separate control. It is difficult for casual users to coordinate the use of such devices to perform specific tasks such as holding a teleconference.
Ubiquitous computing (“ubicomp”) is one methodology for providing a technology-rich environment such as a conference room. Ubicomp integrates computation into the environment, rather than having computers which are distinct objects. Other terms for ubicomp include pervasive computing, calm technology, “things that think,” and everyware. Ubicomp focuses on embedding computation into the environment and everyday objects to enable people to interact with information-processing devices more naturally and casually than they currently do, and in whatever location or circumstance they find themselves.
In a sense, however, ubicomp is an oxymoron. In particular, in “smart” conference rooms, applications of ubicomp technologies have generally been far from user-friendly. Current research in high-end room systems often focuses on a multiplicity of thin, bright display screens both large and small, along with interactive whiteboards, robotic cameras, and remote conferencing systems with rich media handling capabilities. Rich media is information that consists of any combination of graphics, audio, video and animation, which is more storage and bandwidth intensive than ordinary text. Exploiting all these technologies in one room, however, is a daunting task. Faced with three or more display screens, most presenters opt for simply replicating the same image on all the screens. Even more daunting is the design challenge of how to choose which room functions performed by machines are vital to particular tasks that different users want to perform, which room functions are vital to a particular room, and which room functions are well suited to a particular culture. For a particular room example, a room function of teleconferencing is more likely to be vital to a small conference room design than to a large conference room design. For an example regarding culture, designs might be different for conference rooms in Japan versus those in the United States. In Japan, business meetings are generally scripted and closely follow an agenda. These meetings might be followed by a brainstorming session. In the United States, however, business meetings are commonly brainstorming sessions. A Japanese conference room design might focus on Power Point slides, whereas a United States conference room design might focus on interactive whiteboards.
Maintenance is another issue. Nearly all smart rooms have resident staff who keep the rooms' systems functioning, and who often must be available on an everyday basis just to enable users to use the rooms. The systems in these rooms are designed for and assume the presence of these human “wizards.” These systems are seldom designed with users' activities in mind. In addition, users do not know what to expect in these rooms because there is no technology standard for next-generation conference rooms.
In general, it would be beneficial to provide improvements to conference room system designs. In particular, it would be beneficial to provide these improvements in smart room environments.